Rad Devils: After River Plate, Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco, Falcao's a Man United player (Image: Splash)

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

Old Trafford is soaked in history, from the Munich tunnel to the statue of Sir Alex Ferguson. And Radamel Falcao wants to make more with Manchester United.

Falcao claims he dreamed of playing for a footballing superpower like United when he was first making his name in Europe with Portuguese big guns Porto. And now he is here , he intends to help the club to more success.

He says United suit him and is optimistic he can make his current season-long loan switch from Monaco permanent next summer in a £46million deal.

“Yes, I hope to stay many years in Manchester United and make history in this club,” he said. “When I was in Porto and Atletico Madrid, I always wanted to improve and I dreamt of playing in a team like this and now I want to stay here for many years.”

He also neatly sidestepped his father’s claims that he would have joined Real Madrid if they had met Monaco’s terms.

“Everybody has heard about that, but I don’t want to talk about that and I am very happy to be here,” he said diplomatically.

“I don’t think I will need too much time because Manchester United has very good players and for that reason it is easier to play football. Also I am used to life in cities like this. I think I don’t have a problem adapting.”

Falcao insists he has fully recovered from a serious knee injury which cost him his World Cup dream this summer. He has played six games, totalling 217 minutes and scoring three goals, since returning in July.

“Yes, I feel well,” said the 28-year-old, who rejected Liverpool to agree a £350,000-a-week contract with United. “I started to play two months ago with Monaco and I have improved in the last months a lot. I’ve scored goals and that is important to strikers.”

Van Gaal’s biggest problem now is fitting so many stellar talents into his attack, but Falcao claims his new team-mates are clever enough to adapt.

“You are talking about a lot of top-quality players, who are all very intelligent players and bright enough to assimilate any tactics and plans the manager has in mind for us,” he said.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

“However he wants to set us up, we will be intelligent enough to apply that on the field and quickly.”

Van Gaal could not have sounded more delighted with his deadline-day capture, who scored 104 goals in 139 league games for Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco. The Dutchman was almost gushing in his praise of him.

“When you can hire or buy a player like Falcao, I don’t have doubts because he is for me one of the best strikers in the world and when you see his record it is unbelievable,” he said.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

“On Thursday in training, he got one ball and it was in the goal. He confirmed it in his first training session with me.”

Defender Daley Blind, also being unveiled after his move from Ajax, was totally overshadowed by Falcao at Thursday's event.

When he was eventually asked a question, Blind replied that he was pleased to be reunited with Van Gaal, who coached him at the World Cup this summer.

“I’m happy to work with him again,” he said. “I learned a lot from him and I hope to learn more.”